steel cross members

[K0BLR9]

Good Evening Group,

Hopefully I will get an answer on this. Possibly Next week or weekend I will be going to the local steel place and getting steel.

I will be using 3" channel steel that is 12 gauge thickness. What I am wondering would it be possible to use the green pressure treated wood for the cross members? for the axles and springs I would just normal springs because they don't cost that much. For 91 linear ft I can have the trailer framed up I think.

any thoughts? My camper would would 6x12 with a height of 7'.

any thoughts,

[Carter]

Most people believe that the pressure treated is not a good idea. Health issues in an enclosed place. The lumber gasses out the chemicals used to treat it. Many people use a lumber framed floor and it is probably fine depending on the frame design.

Jim

[toypusher]

I'm not sure if the chemicals in pressure treated would be a problem with them being underneath and outside the sealed box of the tear, but shrinkage could be a problem. Pressure treated wood shrinks alot over the first year or so and could cause some problems for you. Just use spruce or fir and coat it like the rest of the bottom of your tear or paint it good before installing it.

[bobhenry]

ACQ treated lumber will eat fastners. We in the construction industry are required to use fastners that are stainless steel in conjunction with ACQ. Our company switched to borate salt treated lumber to avoid the cost of all stainles nails. The borate treated lumber still gives the high moisture and insect protection without the problems of objectionable off gassing and the fastner problem. The sawdust is rated as non hazardous and I have used this lumber in several of my builds . The treaters usually treat southern yellow pine lumber which is 1/2 again as strong as spruce pine fir lumber making a stronger frame.